By Carolyn Lange/ West Central Tribune
A Willmar man has been sharing the story of his brother and sister-in-law, who were killed last week in the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17.
Drew Ryder, who is the president of Feedlogic Corp. at the MinnWest Technology Campus, said his brother and sister-in-law, Arjen and Yvonne Ryder, were on board the plane. “Lost my oldest brother and sister in law on Flight MH17,” Ryder wrote on Twitter on Friday. “Gutted. But also believe they are in a better place.”
Attempts by the West Central Tribune to reach Ryder on Sunday were unsuccessful until after deadline.
but Ryder was interviewed by at least one Twin Cities’ television station and also CNN.
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In an interview with Anderson Cooper on CNN, Ryder said his brother and sister-in-law were the “most generous, warmest people I know.”
The couple had been visiting family in the Netherlands and was on their way back home to Australia when the plane was shot down over Ukraine.
All 298 passengers and crew were killed in the crash.
Ryder said his brother was a family man who loved his three grown children and grandchildren, who live in Australia.
Ryder told Cooper it was “hard to comprehend” the sudden tragedy.
Ryder said he was notified about incident when he received a distraught call from his uncle, who had taken the couple to the airport in Amsterdam.
Ryder said the family’s strong Christian faith has led them to forgive those involved rather than to seek retribution.
He told WCCO Television that the support of the local community, including his church, has helped his family during this very difficult time.
